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American Eagle 25th Anniversary Silver Five-Coin Set

With a price tag of $299.95, the American Eagle 25th Anniversary Silver Five-Coin Set will be released by the United States Mint on October 17 at noon ET to mark twenty-five years the American Eagles were first introduced to the public. The Mint’s American Eagle program made its debut in 1986.

Included as part of the anniversary five-coin set are different 2011 American Eagle Silver coins representing three typical annual releases and two that may be struck solely for the set. United States Mint Deputy Director Richard A. Peterson announced the plans for the collection on Friday, August 19th, 2011 at the American Numismatic Association’s World’s Fair of Money® held near Chicago, Illinois.

Mintage of Five-Coin Set

According to the Mint, no more than 100,000 of the new sets will be produced. Each will contain the five unique coins "mounted in one custom-designed, highly polished, lacquered hardwood presentation case accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity."

Price Dependent on Silver Market

The price for the five-coin set was announced on October 20, just one week before its scheduled release. That is because the pricing is highly dependant on the silver market since each of the coins included as part of the 25th anniversary set is struck from one ounce of .999 fine silver, like all Silver Eagles have been since first being introduced twenty five years ago.

This gives each set an intrinsic melt value approximately equal to the current trading price of five ounces of the white metal on the open market. Thus, if silver is trading for $30 an ounce, this set will have a melt value of $150 — five coins times $30 an ounce equals $150.

However, the five-coin set will be of particular interest to collectors giving each a numismatic value much higher than its melt value. Aside from the fact that the set will feature unique packaging and an extremely limited mintage, the possible inclusion of two coins in the set that may not be offered elsewhere will undoubtedly send the numismatic value skyward.

Coins in American Eagle 25th Anniversary Silver Five-Coin Set

The coins listed to be a part of the American Eagle 25th Anniversary Silver Five-Coin Set include:

The Silver Eagle Bullion Coin is the silver investment-grade coin produced by the United States Mint since 1986 as a low-cost option for investors seeking to add small amounts of the white metal to their portfolios. Literally millions of these are struck each year and are typically sold through the Mint’s network of authorized purchasers. No mintmark is present on these strikes which are produced at either the United States Mint’s facility at West Point or the facility in San Francisco.

The Proof Silver Eagles were also first introduced in 1986, but these strikes were created solely with collectors in mind. Each is struck multiple times from specially burnished blanks which results in a high level of detail and a mirror-like field. This coin is produced at the United States Mint’s facility in West Point and contains the appropriate ‘W’ mintmark.

2011-P Silver Eagle Reverse Proof Coin

The Reverse Proof Silver Eagle is not a coin typically struck by the Mint. It features a frosted background and mirrored devices which is the opposite of the standard proof Eagle. It is not the first time the United States Mint struck such a coin, but if only appears in this anniversary set its mintage may make it one of the key coins in any American Eagle collection. According to the Mint, these coins will be struck at the Philadelphia facility and bear a ‘P’ mintmark.

Uncirculated Silver Eagles were first available from the Mint in 2006. They are also struck from burnished coin blanks but do not feature the mirror-like field present on the proof strikes. In that respect, they appear much more like their bullion counterparts except for the inclusion of a mintmark. In this case, the Uncirculated Silver Eagles will be struck at the West Point facility and will bear the ‘W’ mintmark.

2011-S Silver Eagle Uncirculated Coin

Routinely, the United States Mint has been striking the uncirculated coins at the West Point facility. However, for the purposes of this set it, this special Uncirculated Silver Eagle will be struck at the facility in San Francisco which will then include the ‘S’ mintmark. As these coins are not typically produced, it is also likely that they will become a key coin for the series.

All American Silver Eagles contain the same obverse and reverse designs. This includes an obverse based on Adolph A. Weinman’s Walking Liberty. This design was first featured on the 1916-1947 half dollar coin and is thought by many to be one of the most beautiful ever produced by the United States Mint. It is joined on the reverse by United States Mint Sculptor-Engraver John Mercanti’s heraldic eagle with shield.

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